The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1887-12-28
PRISON LIFE IN JAPAN.
Country Where Offenders Against tn,
Law Are Treated Bar barously.

A Country Where Offenders Against the
Law Are Treated Bar barously.
Mr.. Baba's description of the prison
life Of Japan shows an extraordinary
degree Of brutality in the system.
The Kajibashi prison." he says.
,'.is situated in a central place of the
;capital, Toxic. and is under the direct
control of the Minister Of the Inte rior.
The building is two stories high and
made in the shape of cross. In each
story there are forty cages. making
eighty cages in all. Each cage is nine
feet square. The japanese Govern
ment manages to keep many prisoners
lin this prison for two or three years
without any public trial. Each cage
generally contains ten or eleven pris.
ioners, who eat and sleep in this small
box. Or. perhaps. it is better to say
the prisoners try to sleep heaped up
one over the other. There are al
ways from eight hundred to nine hun.
dred prisoners kept in this way.
Many become sick and some die.
have seen two of the prisoners die
within six months But I am sur
prised that considering the bad sani-
tary system. want of exercise, bad
food and drink. etc, so few die. ]
am told more prisoners die after they
come out of the prison, where they ars
sustained by a sort of excitement.
"The outside Of each cage is pro-
tected by strong wooden frame. The
frame itself becomes door to let the
prisoners in or out. The side facing
the yards has large window, protect
ed with an iron frame, of which the
door must not be closed without the
permission of the officials. even in the
severest winter nights. Thus it is o
common occurrence that prisoners are
covered with snow. At the corner Of
this cage small tub containing water
for the purpose of drinking and wash
ing is placed beside two wooden ves-
sells for sewage purposes. The water
is impure as we'll as filthy. The food
furnished to the prisoners consists of a
small quantity of mixture of rice
and oats. about a quarter of a pound.
served sometimes with three pieces OF
pickle or with boiled vegetables.
Although they give meal three times q
day the quantity is so small that the
prisoners become as thin IS skeletons.
There is an arrangement made
which is supposed to be for the benefi.
of the prisoners. The friends of thu
prisoners are permitted to send {:
quarter of pound Of meat once /.
day. but several absurd formalihe:
must be gone through with be
fore prisoner can get :hi
meat Generally the meat is sent ava,
if one makes very slight error
such as failing to mention the particu
lar prisoners name, Or his place o
residence, Or the date of his arrest
The most of the prisoners have n
means of communicating with thei
friends When they are arrested tn
Government spy or police tell ther
that they need not bring any none
, with them, as they will be sent back
> their homes in few minutes Whe
they go to the prison they are ker
there six months at least During TIL
time, if they have any money to pa
postage. they are permitted to sen
, their letters; but If they have n
money, TO letter can be sent By publ
expense. They are never permitted !
see their friends until the judge of
{ secret examination makes up his min
to send prisoner to the court Of pull
r lie trial. The secret examin alton las
| one year. and sometimes three year
| Eve when the judge of a secret e,
aminationAlecides 10 send the case
. public trial the prisoner can nt
write TO his friends unless he ha
money. So in many cases he can NJ
: obtain the help Of lawyer. Thus
8 is q farce to say that the Japanes
Government gives fair chance
Z prisoners to defend themselves befor
| the court of Justice"